Six Classic Cars That Will Grow in Value

David Gooding knows a little something about the value of collectible cars. Having grown up among Las Vegas's famed Harrah Collection as a boy – his father was the curator of that automotive treasure trove – Gooding learned about classic vehicles not from slavering over photos, but from touching, cleaning, and driving actual Duesenbergs, Rolls-Royces and, Pierce-Arrows.

With the cars of the contemporary era – the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s – officially becoming eligible to be considered "classics," a whole new generation of vehicles has begun appearing on his auction stands. In 2013, high-profile modern vehicles such as a 1990 Ferrari F40, a 1995 Ferrari F50, and a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS crossed the block and achieved astounding prices.

But beautiful and potent as they are, Ferraris are an obvious choice for future collectibles. And as intrigued as we are by the rise of formerly shunned Italians like the delicate Dino – one of which Gooding just sold for $363,000 – not everyone has Ferrari money. So when we ran into Gooding at the recent classic car Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, California, we took a stroll around the show field and asked him to use the vehicles displayed there as a jumping-off point for a discussion of the next generation of rising collectibles. Here are six in particular to watch for.

Jaguar E-Type (1961–1974)

Though the E-Type market has had its ups and downs in recent decades, Gooding considers these, the most gorgeous of Jags, to still be an excellent value. E-Types were manufactured from 1961 through 1974, but the earlier models are the most desirable. "[There's a] misconception that they're impossibly unreliable cars," he explains. Luckily, it's a hurdle that educated buyers and owners can overcome. "Find the right car and maintain it properly," he advises. "They can be lovely drivers if they're well-sorted." As an example of this kind of available bargain, the gorgeous E-Type Series I convertible pictured here sold significantly below its pre-sale estimate at a recent Gooding auction, for only $90,000.